All-party delegation seeks global condemnation of Pakistan during meeting with think tanks in UK

London [UK], June 2 (ANI): The all-party delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, engaged with experts and think tanks in the UK on Monday (local time) to reaffirm India's unwavering commitment to countering cross-border terrorism, showcasing the new standards India has set in its counter-terrorism efforts.

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The delegation led by the BJP MP included BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari, Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran.

Following the meeting, delegation leader Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that it was an open conversation, and the think tank praised the probe done by India following the April 22 terror attack.

"The conversation was open with the think tank... Everyone praised the investigation done by India on the terrorist attack... They expressed their concern about terrorism around the world," the BJP MP said.

Professor Jagannadha Pawan Tamvada of Kingston University, who was part of the think tank, stated that Pakistan "deserves" to be condemned for its actions during the terror attack and that the western media has been biased in not condemning Pakistan for its actions.

"It's been an honour to have this delegation here putting forward the right viewpoint the world should hear because there has been a bias in the media which has refused to condemn Pakistan the way it should be condemned. I think Pakistan deserves to be condemned for the terrorist attacks that have been happening not just now but for several decades, and I think it's an honour to have this delegation here to clarify the viewpoint," Tamvada stated.

Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, a Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, noted that there has been worldwide condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack but no international condemnation of Pakistan for the attack, which this delegation is addressing during its meetings.

"The delegation is seeking to help build a global consensus against Pakistan-based terrorism, and the UK is going to be an important player in this consensus as we move forward... It is important for India to reach out to different countries because what we've seen is that there has been wholehearted international condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and there has also been full international support that India has received in terms of defending itself against terrorism, but what we have not seen is international condemnation of Pakistan," Chaudhury stated.

AIADMK MP and member of the delegation M. Thambidurai added, "Everybody is sympathising with this attack in India, but why are they not condemning Pakistan? This is the issue raised. That is why the delegation has come over... All countries are speaking about terrorism. It has to be curbed. Everybody knows Pakistan has 52 centres. The UN also recognises that kind of camp exists. That is why we want to expose to the world and get the support to finish these treacherous activities of Pakistan."

Another delegation member and former Union Minister, MJ Akbar, stated that the think-tanks raised several issues on the matter and noted that the worry should be on the "dramatic" impact of terror attacks.

"The think tanks raised issues that are apparent to all, in terms of where we go next and India's understanding of what has happened. I mentioned that the grammar of understanding needs to be changed. They should worry about the dramatic impact of terror," he stated.

Earlier, the delegation met with the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel, and her team to discuss India's firm resolve to counter cross-border terrorism.

The Members of Parliament talked about how Operation Sindoor exemplifies the new normal set by India in the counter-terrorism effort. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)